1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information recording medium. Also, this invention relates to a method and an apparatus for recording information on a recording medium. In addition, this invention relates to a method and an apparatus for reproducing information from a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
A DVD (digital versatile disc) family contains a DVD-Video and a DVD-RW. Here, DVD-RW is short for DVD-Rewritable.
The DVD-Video is designed for a playback purpose (a reproduction purpose) only. In general, the DVD-Video stores main information, and copyright information corresponding to the main information. For example, the copyright information is designed to prevent the contents of the main information from being illegally copied. According to a CSS (a contents scramble system), the copyright information is recorded on a given area of the disc, that is, an area of the disc which is assigned to information related to copyright protection such as information of a CSS key.
A DVD-Video player operates as follows. First, the player reads out information of a CSS key from a disc. When the information of the CSS key is correct, the player is permitted to reproduce the contents of main information from the disc.
Otherwise, the player is inhibited form reproducing the contents of the main information. Thus, the CSS key functions to prevent the contents of the main information from being illegally copied.
It is assumed that a DVD recording system illegally records DVD-Video contents information and corresponding CSS-key information on a disc. In this case, since the correct CSS-key information is present in the disc, a DVD-Video player can reproduce the DVD-Video contents information. Thus, in this case, it is difficult to protect copyright on the DVD-Video contents information.
The DVD family also contains a DVD-R (a DVD-Recordable). Information can be recorded on the DVD-R only once. It is conceivable that before the shipment of a virgin DVD-R from a factory, the disc is physically processed to record a special code signal other than a signal of a CSS key on a given area of the disc which corresponds to a copyright information area of a DVD-Video. In this case, it is difficult to write information of a CSS key over the given area of the DVD-R after the shipment thereof from the factory. It is assumed that a DVD recording system illegally records DVD-Video contents information on such a DVD-R. CSS-key information corresponding to the DVD-Video contents information is absent from the DVD-R since it is difficult to record the CSS-key information on the disc. Accordingly, in this case, a DVD-Video player can not reproduce the DVD-contents information from the disc. Thus, it is possible to protect copyright on the DVD-Video contents information.
The DVD-RW has the feature that information can be repetitively recorded thereon a plurality of times. An explanation is now given of the case where before the shipment of a virgin DVD-RW from a factory, a special code signal other than a signal of a CSS key is recorded on a given area of the disc which corresponds to a copyright information area of a DVD-Video. Even in this case, it is possible for a DVD recording system to illegally record DVD-Video contents information and corresponding CSS-key information on the DVD-RW after the shipment thereof from the factory. Since the correct CSS-key information is present in the disc, a DVD-Video player can reproduce the DVD-Video contents information therefrom. Thus, in this case, it is difficult to protect copyright on the DVD-Video contents information.
Regarding a DVD-RW or a similar rewritable disc storing DVD-contents information permitted to be copied, it is desirable that the DVD-contents information can be reproduced from the disc. Also, in some cases, it is desirable that the DVD-contents information can be copied.
An optical disc conforming to the RTR (real-time recording) standards is incompatible with a DVD-Video. Regarding an RTR disc storing main information and copyright information, it is desirable to control the copying (the recording and the reproduction) of the main information in accordance with the contents of the copyright information.
It is a first object of this invention to provide an improved information recording medium.
It is a second object of this invention to provide an improved method of recording information on a recording medium.
It is a third object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for recording information on a recording medium.
It is a fourth object of this invention to provide an improved method of reproducing information from a recording medium.
It is a fifth object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for reproducing information from a recording medium.
A first aspect of this invention provides an information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area and a second lead-in information area, the first lead-in information area corresponding to a first playback mode, the second lead-in information area corresponding to a second playback mode different from the first playback mode, the first lead-in information area having a first depth and being for storing lead-in information related to the contents information stored in the data area, the second lead-in information area including pre-pits having a second depth greater than the first depth, the pre-pits representing predetermined information related to the contents information stored in the data area.
A second aspect of this invention provides an information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area and a second lead-in information area, the first lead-in information area corresponding to a first recording/playback mode, the second lead-in information area corresponding to a second recording/playback mode different from the first recording/playback mode, the first lead-in information area being for storing lead-in information related to the contents information stored in the data area in units of predetermined error correction blocks, the second lead-in information area being for inerasably storing information containing predetermined information related to the contents information stored in the data area, wherein an amount of the information containing the predetermined information exceeds a value corresponding to an upper limit of an ability of the predetermined error correction blocks to correct errors.
A third aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein the lead-in information contains flag information representing a validity of the lead-in information.
A fourth aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein the first lead-in information area and the second lead-in information area comprise information-recordable areas made of phase-changeable material, and the predetermined information is reproducible.
A fifth aspect of this invention provides a method of recording lead-in information and contents information on an information recording medium, the information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area for storing the lead-in information and a second lead-in information area for storing the lead-in information except predetermined information related to the contents information stored in the data area. The method comprises the steps of recording the lead-in information on the first lead-in information area, and recording the contents information on the data area during a first recording mode of operation which corresponds to recording on the first lead-in information area; and recording the lead-in information except the predetermined information on the second lead-in information area, and recording the contents information on the data area during a second recording mode of operation which corresponds to recording on the second lead-in information area.
A sixth aspect of this invention provides an apparatus for recording lead-in information and contents information on an information recording medium, the information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area for storing the lead-in information and a second lead-in information area for storing the lead-in information except predetermined information related to the contents information stored in the data area. The apparatus comprises first means for deciding which of a first recording mode of operation and a second recording mode of operation is selected, wherein the first recording mode of operation corresponds to recording on the first lead-in information area, and the second recording mode of operation corresponds to recording on the second lead-in information area; second means for recording the lead-in information on the first lead-in information area, and recording the contents information on the data area when the first means decides that the first recording mode of operation is selected; and third means for recording the lead-in information except the predetermined information on the second lead-in information area, and recording the contents information on the data area when the first means decides that the second recording mode of operation is selected.
A seventh aspect of this invention provides a method of reproducing contents information from an information recording medium, the information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing the contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area and a second lead-in information area. The method comprises the steps of reproducing lead-in information from the first lead-in information area during a first playback mode of operation which corresponds to the first lead-in information area; reproducing lead-in information from the second lead-in information area during a second playback mode of operation which corresponds to the second lead-in information area; and reproducing the contents information from the data area in cases where the lead-in information is reproduced from one of the first lead-in information area and the second lead-in information area.
An eighth aspect of this invention provides an apparatus for reproducing contents information from an information recording medium, the information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing the contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area and a second lead-in information area. The apparatus comprises first means for scanning the first lead-in information area to reproduce lead-in information from the first lead-in information area during a first playback mode of operation which corresponds to the first lead-in information area; second means for scanning the second lead-in information area to reproduce lead-in information from the second lead-in information area during a second playback mode of operation which corresponds to the second lead-in information area; and third means for reproducing the contents information from the data area in cases where one of the first means and the second means reproduces the lead-in information from one of the first lead-in information area and the second lead-in information area during one of the first playback mode of operation and the second playback mode of operation.
A ninth aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein the first depth is smaller than xcex/(8n), and the second depth is in a range of about xcex/(4n) to about xcex/(8n), where xe2x80x9cxcexxe2x80x9d denotes a wavelength of reading laser light and xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d denotes a refractive index of a material for the medium.
A tenth aspect of this invention is based on the second aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein an information amount of the predetermined error correction blocks is equal to about 32 Kbytes, and the upper limit of an ability of the predetermined error correction blocks to correct errors corresponds to about 2 Kbytes, and wherein the amount of the information containing the predetermined information is equal to about 8 Kbytes or more.
An eleventh aspect of this invention provides an information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area and a second lead-in information area, the first lead-in information area having a first depth and being for storing first lead-in information related to the contents information stored in the data area, the first lead-in information including information of medium manufacture and information of a contents-information start position, the second lead-in information area including pre-pits having a second depth greater than the first depth, the pre-pits representing predetermined information related to the contents information stored in the data area, the second lead-in information area including an area for storing second lead-in information including the information of medium manufacture and the information of the contents-information start position.
A twelfth aspect of this invention provides an information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area and a second lead-in information area, the first lead-in information area being for storing first lead-in information related to the contents information stored in the data area in units of predetermined error correction blocks, the first lead-in information including information of medium manufacture and information of a contents-information start position, the second lead-in information area being for inerasably storing information containing predetermined information related to the contents information stored in the data area, wherein an amount of the information containing the predetermined information exceeds a value corresponding to an upper limit of an ability of the predetermined error correction blocks to correct errors, the second lead-in information area including an area for storing second lead-in information including the information of medium manufacture and the information of the contents-information start position.
A thirteenth aspect of this invention is based on the eleventh aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein each of the first lead-in information and the second lead-in information contains flag information representing a validity of the related lead-in information.
A fourteenth aspect of this invention is based on the eleventh aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein the first lead-in information area and the second lead-in information area comprise information-recordable areas made of phase-changeable material, and the predetermined information is reproducible but becomes unreadable when new information is recorded again.
A fifteenth aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein the first lead-in information area corresponds to RTR standards, and the second lead-in information area corresponds to DVD-Video standards.
A sixteenth aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein the predetermined information comprises information of a CSS key having a given value.
A seventeenth aspect of this invention provides a method of reproducing contents information from an information recording medium, the information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing the contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area and a second lead-in information area. The method comprises the steps of reading out first lead-in information from the first lead-in information area; deciding whether or not the read-out first lead-in information is valid; reproducing the contents information from the data area in response to the read-out first lead-in information when it is decided that the read-out first lead-in information is valid; deciding whether or not second lead-in information is required to be read out from the second lead-in information area; and reading out the second lead-in information from the second lead-in information area, and reproducing the contents information from the data area in response to the read-out first lead-in information and the read-out second lead-in information in cases where it is decided that the second lead-in information is required to be read out from the second lead-in information area.
An eighteenth aspect of this invention provides a method of reproducing contents information from an information recording medium, the information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing the contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area and a second lead-in information area. The method comprises the steps of deciding whether first lead-in information is present in or absent from the first lead-in information area; reading out the first lead-in information from the first lead-in information area when it is decided that the first lead-in information is present in the first lead-in information area; deciding whether the read-out first lead-in information is valid or invalid; reproducing the contents information from the data area in response to the read-out first lead-in information when it is decided that the read-out first lead-in information is valid; and reading out second lead-in information from the second lead-in information area, and reproducing the contents information from the data area in response to the read-out second lead-in information in cases where it is decided that the first lead-in information is absent from the first lead-in information area or in cases where it is decided that the read-out first lead-in information is invalid.
A nineteenth aspect of this invention provides an apparatus for reproducing contents information from an information recording medium, the information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing the contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area and a second lead-in information area. The apparatus comprises first means for reading out first lead-in information from the first lead-in information area; second means for deciding whether or not the read-out first lead-in information is valid; third means for reproducing the contents information from the data area in response to the read-out first lead-in information when the second means decides that the read-out first lead-in information is valid; fourth means for deciding whether or not second lead-in information is required to be read out from the second lead-in information area; and fifth means for reading out the second lead-in information from the second lead-in information area, and reproducing the contents information from the data area in response to the read-out first lead-in information and the read-out second lead-in information in cases where the fourth means decides that the second lead-in information is required to be read out from the second lead-in information area.
A twentieth aspect of this invention provides an apparatus for reproducing contents information from an information recording medium, the information recording medium comprising a lead-in area and a data area for storing the contents information, the lead-in area including a first lead-in information area and a second lead-in information area. The apparatus comprises first means for deciding whether first lead-in information is present in or absent from the first lead-in information area; second means for reading out the first lead-in information from the first lead-in information area when the first means decides that the first lead-in information is present in the first lead-in information area; third means for deciding whether the read-out first lead-in information is valid or invalid; fourth means for reproducing the contents information from the data area in response to the read-out first lead-in information when the third means decides that the read-out first lead-in information is valid; and fifth means for reading out second lead-in information from the second lead-in information area, and reproducing the contents information from the data area in response to the read-out second lead-in information in cases where the first means decides that the first lead-in information is absent from the first lead-in information area or in cases where the third means decides that the read-out first lead-in information is invalid.
A twenty-first aspect of this invention is based on the seventeenth aspect of this invention, and provides a method wherein the information recording medium comprises an information recording medium of the first aspect of this invention.
A twenty-second aspect of this invention is based on the nineteenth aspect thereof, and provides an apparatus wherein the information recording medium comprises an information recording medium of the first aspect of this invention.
A twenty-third aspect of this invention provides a rewritable information-recording optical disc comprising a lead-in area assigned to lead-in information and a data area assigned to contents information, the lead-in area including a first sub-area and a second sub-area, the first sub-area corresponding to first disc standards and including a phase change recording area, the first sub-area being assigned to lead-in information corresponding to the first disc standards, the second sub-area corresponding to second disc standards different from the first disc standards and including pre-pits representative of predetermined information in a predetermined logic state, the predetermined information relating to the contents information to which the data area is assigned, the second sub-area being assigned to lead-in information corresponding to the second disc standards, the data area including a phase change recording area.
A twenty-fourth aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein the predetermined information comprises information of copyright protection related to the contents information stored in the data area.
A twenty-fifth aspect of this invention is based on the second aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein the predetermined information comprises information of copyright protection related to the contents information stored in the data area.
A twenty-sixth aspect of this invention is based on the fifth aspect thereof, and provides a method wherein the predetermined information comprises information of copyright protection related to the contents information stored in the data area.
A twenty-seventh aspect of this invention is based on the sixth aspect thereof, and provides an apparatus wherein the predetermined information comprises information of copyright protection related to the contents information stored in the data area.
A twenty-eighth aspect of this invention is based on the eleventh aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein the predetermined information comprises information of copyright protection related to the contents information stored in the data area.
A twenty-ninth aspect of this invention is based on the twelfth aspect thereof, and provides an information recording medium wherein the predetermined information comprises information of copyright protection related to the contents information stored in the data area.
A thirtieth aspect of this invention provides a rewritable information-recording optical disc comprising a lead-in area assigned to lead-in information and a data area assigned to contents information, the lead-in area including a first sub-area and a second sub-area, the first sub-area corresponding to first disc standards and including a phase change recording area, the first sub-area being assigned to lead-in information corresponding to the first disc standards, the second sub-area corresponding to second disc standards different from the first disc standards and including pre-pits representative of copyright protecting information in a predetermined logic state, the second sub-area being assigned to lead-in information corresponding to the second disc standards, the data area including a phase change recording area.